No Gifts
by Hobsonfan
Summary: Robbie and Laura vowed there would be no material gifts exchanged between them this Christmas. Their plans go pear shaped and it will take a Christmas miracle to right the Lewis Hobson ship.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Wishing all of you a stress free pre-holiday season. Fingers crossed this posts correctly as my fanfiction account has been playing tricks on me lately. Ghosts of Christmases past, perhaps?**

* * *

"No Gifts?" James, bent over his computer, tapped his ears to make sure he heard Robbie correctly.

Robbie got up and started putting his jacket on. "That's what Laura said, we are not exchanging gifts this Christmas. There is nothing wrong with your hearing."

James swiveled his chair around to face Robbie. "Don't you know that when a woman says no gifts she doesn't really mean it?"

Robbie picked up a brochure from his desk and waved it at James. "Not to put too fine a point on it James, the book of your knowledge about women would be a very slim volume with only one chapter."

"Maddoxx!" James yelled loud enough to be heard throughout the station.

Lizzie sprinted to the office sensing some urgency in his tone. "Sir?"

James pointed at Robbie. "Please tell our esteemed colleague that when a woman says no gifts at Christmas she does not mean it."

Lizzie looked from one furious boss face to the other. "Well, for many women that would be the case but Dr. Hobson is not just any woman, sir."

Robbie nodded in agreement. "And Laura does not say things she does not mean."

Lizzie began to sidle out of the office. "If you don't need me for any work related reason, I'll be on my way then." Lizzie never liked getting into the middle of a disagreement between the two Inspectors. Dismissed with a shake of the head from James Lizzie left to go home and change for a girl's night out.

As Robbie started to leave James quietly accused him of not loving Laura.

Robbie's face looked like thunder, "I thought I made that clear when I went to New Zealand" and stormed out.

James did not have anyone to go home to and did not feel welcome tonight to drop in on Robbie and Laura so he stayed at the office to catch up on paperwork. Later he would send out an email Christmas appeal before packing it in for the day.

While out for the evening Lizzie would discuss the 'no gifts' idea with her girlfriends. All agreed Robbie might end up in the dog house or the canoe.

The next day Laura went for a walk during her lunch break and observed harried shoppers darting in and out of shops looking for the perfect gifts. She congratulated herself for planning a stress free Christmas this year, looking forward to spending most of the day with just Robbie. James was coming over for dinner; as a matter of fact he was bringing dinner so there would be no work to be done in the Lewis Hobson kitchen on Christmas day.

There were some exceptions to the no gifts rule. Presents were purchased, wrapped, and sent well in advance for the youngest members of the family, Lyn's children Jack and Susan, Ken's twins Billy and Bijou, and Robbie and Laura's goddaughter and grandniece Flavia. Lyn's family was going away to visit Tim's relatives this year and would come to Robbie and Laura's house to celebrate the New Year. Ken and Ryan were in Australia and said they might come home to Oxford for Christmas next year. Laura's brother Brad and his family, including wife Carole, son Brian, daughter Caroline and her husband Cale and their daughter Flavia, were going to New Zealand for Christmas.

There would be some treats for their dog Osborn and the new cat Daphne; otherwise it would be a peaceful day at the Lewis Hobson home. Laura walked back to work unburdened by shopping.

The next day Laura met Jean Innocent for lunch. Jean had come to Oxford to do some Christmas shopping at several of Oxford's cracking shops.

Luckily the two of them had a table for four and Jean stowed her packages on the two extra chairs.

"Where's your shopping Laura?" Jean made face. "I know, you must be one of those people who are finished shopping in July."

Laura smiled. "Well, not that early but I have already sent packages off to Ken's family in Australia, the mail likely being slow to get there, and Lyn's family in Manchester. They are spending Christmas in Wales with Tim's Aunt and we will see them New Year's Day. And my brother Brad has picked up our gifts for Flavia to take with them to New Zealand. I found small things that would easily fit in their luggage."

"Not got anything for Robbie yet then?"

"Robbie and I are not exchanging material gifts this year."

Jean frowned. "Not trouble in Paradise I hope?"

"Nothing like that, we are going to celebrate gifts that don't need wrapping this year."

Their lunches arrived and the conversation stalled while they ate. Jean had something serious to discuss with Laura and something she was curious about. She sipped her wine thoughtfully and decided to satisfy her curiosity first.

"Laura, what's the new Chief Super, Emery Worthy, like?"

"Merry? She's a bit odd but an easy person to like and gets along well with everyone. Even the most difficult cases get solved, almost as if she has brought some sort of lucky charm to the Oxford Police."

Jean knew that her first successor, Joe Moody had not been popular; perhaps they were due for someone a bit jolly. Still, her ego couldn't help being bruised by having an apparently well liked and successful female replacement. "What kind of name is 'Merry' for a police officer?"

"As opposed to 'Innocent'?" Laura countered.

"Fair point." Jean finished the last of her wine in one big gulp. "Laura, there is something I need to warn you about, something from your past."

Laura was much happier in the present than her past. "Oh?"

"I'm sure you remember the odious and now deceased DI Martin Johnson?" She did not wait for an answer. "He must have had a grudge against you for some reason. When his son, disgraced DI Mark Johnson, went through the family home after his father passed he found a photo of you."

Laura nearly choked on her G and T. "Jean there is no way Johnson, dead or alive, had any salacious photos of me."

"It's not that exactly. It shows you visiting the late DCI Morse at 2 AM and him admitting you to his home. Johnson junior is writing a tell-all book about scandalous police activities. Chapter one is about your torrid affair with Inspector Morse. He needs the money seeing as he can't get a real job."

Laura was silent for a few moments. "That man has a lot to answer for."

"You are preaching to the choir, I found complications from Morse on many a case."

"Not Morse, I mean Johnson, both of them. Morse did nothing wrong at least as far as the night in question. He called me to come rescue the person who went there with the intention of having sex with him."

Jean processed that bit of information. "Who was it?"

"Isn't it in the book?"

"No you are the only woman identified as going into see Morse."

"Good."

"So I'll ask again, whom did you rescue?"

Laura put on her 'Dr. Hobson means business' face. "I'm not telling. No one will ever know."

Jean smiled. "Oh these secrets have a way of coming out."

Laura shook her head. "Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead."

Jean narrowed her eyes, "Well now…but what are you going to tell Robbie when the book comes out?"

"I don't need to tell him anything. Before we got together Robbie acted like a jealous schoolboy about me having dinner with an old boyfriend. After that we went out for a drink, not coffee, and 'blew the cobwebs' as he likes to call it. The end result is that previous chapters of my life have nothing to do with us now."

"Well Robbie has evolved then."

"Robbie wouldn't believe anything either Martin or son said anyway."

"You are awfully confident about that."

"I am, although I would much prefer the book never came out, there are people who like to practice hunch and hearsay, otherwise known as gossip, around the station."

They moved on to other topics of conversation and ended the lunch in a positive way. Jean had some more shopping to do and Laura needed to get back to the lab. As they left the restaurant both Jean and Laura regretted not doing this more often and promised to meet again soon.

When Laura got home that evening she found Robbie packing a box. "

He quickly closed it up before he greeted her. Laura noticed Lyn's address on the label.

"Robbie I already sent gifts to Lyn's family. You always get the children things they already have."

"I got something special for Lyn. While you were having lunch with Jean I took a walk and passed a bookshop with the latest book by that fantasy author she likes. The author was there signing books and I got in the queue to get Lyn one."

"Well done, Robbie."

"Not that well done, seeing as how I forgot her birthday until you reminded me. I am making up for it with the book, so technically this is not a Christmas gift."

"I only insisted that you and I not exchange gifts this year."

Robbie put the package in his car so as to not forget to get it sent off the next day then went to the kitchen to finish cooking Laura's supper.

Laura went upstairs to shower and change before supper. After she was out and dressed she paused by a shelf in the bedroom, the place she displayed her personal treasures. There were a few trinkets from her childhood, a picture of Flavia in her baby sized crime scene suit, laminated fingerprints of Jack and Susan, a Christmas photo collage of her young confrere's trifecta of children, and three items from special friends who lived abroad. They were friends you couldn't meet up with at the local pub or coffee shop on a regular basis. Somehow they remained close and did not lose touch as often happens. She picked up the first item, a three dimensional image depicting a scene from one of her most beloved television programmes. The second was a hand knit pink pig that was supposed to (and did) bring her luck. "I am a lucky girl" she said aloud to herself. The third item was a theatre program signed by her favourite actress after a performance Laura had been unable to attend. Such kind friends I have she reflected, hugging her arms around herself.

While finishing up his work in the kitchen Robbie felt a sense of relief. The last act of his previous chapter had finally been completed. In the parcel with Lyn's book was Val's box. Val did not display her most personal items; she kept them in a special box and took it out on occasion to look at them. How different from Laura he mused, who kept her treasures out in the open. The box would be sent to Lyn now, she should have her mother's keepsakes and Robbie could do so without feeling guilty. Previously every time he opened the box he could detect Val's scent and he would quickly close it up again. This time he lovingly handled each object once and replaced it. At the last minute before taping it shut he took one item out. He hoped he did the right thing.

Robbie had felt guilty, not telling Laura about the box, although somehow he could sense that she knew of its existence and the effect it had on him. He was close to figuring out that this was why she wouldn't marry him, and not as she often told him, she wasn't the marrying kind.

Laura did know about the box. Lyn had told her when she and Robbie first got together. She was happy for her father to move on and thought the world of Laura but decided she should know that Robbie still had not a foot, but at least a toe still in the past. Laura had thanked her for this and was able to overlook it as she always did when it came to Val. She would have as much of Robbie as he could offer.

Laura came downstairs to a miraculously well prepared supper of lasagna and garlic bread. She and Robbie discussed work while they ate as they often did, then together did the washing up and agreed they would have an early night. As the two of them mounted the stairs hand in hand Robbie had an extra bounce in his step that did not go unnoticed by Laura. Only one week until Christmas and Laura was sure this would be the stress free, gift free Christmas she imagined. What could possibly go wrong?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks again to Givemebritcopsnow for allowing me to use her character, Donald the dog. He is becoming an essential figure in my stories. In my last story Time's Passing I introduced my new characters, Daphne the lively kitten and the new Chief Superintendent, Emery 'Merry' Worthy, who are back for Christmas.**

* * *

**Christmas Morning**

Robbie's phone rang just after dawn on December 25th. He picked it up to hear his daughter's voice.

"Sorry Dad, the kids were up very early. They want to say thank-you for their gifts."

"Happy Christmas Lyn, I better pass you over to Laura then."

"First I want to say thank-you for my gifts. They were perfect. You must have been in a queue for hours to get me an autographed copy of that book. And the other thing, well, just know I will take good care of it and hand it down to Jack and Susan one day."

Robbie's voice got very deep. "I know you will Lyn. Here's Laura then." Robbie got out of bed and walked to the bathroom.

"Happy Christmas Lyn."

"You too Laura. Before I hand the phone over to the kids I wanted to tell you that along with my book, Dad sent me…" voices could be heard in the background, "oh sorry, the family is posing for a group photo, gotta go everyone is smiling and all facing the camera for once, call you back." Laura shook her head and looked at the phone. Poor Lyn, she said to herself, already having a stressful Christmas day. Laura reached her arms up and yawned contentedly. Her day was going to be stress free.

Laura dressed quickly while Robbie was in the shower and went downstairs to start the coffee. On her way past the small and tastefully decorated Christmas tree she saw something startling. She narrowed her eyes and made a face.

Robbie was looking forward to spending the whole day with Laura. After his shower he donned jeans, a long sleeved shirt, and the naughty Christmas tie Laura got him last year. On his way to get his morning coffee the expression on Laura's face made him stop in his tracks and he raised his eyebrows.

"Robbie, what are all these gifts doing under the Christmas tree"?

"What gifts?"

"Don't play innocent with me Robbie Lewis!" She pointed accusingly at the pile of beautifully wrapped packages.

Robbie was stunned. "I don't know anything about those!"

Laura went closer and inspected the tags. They all said 'to Laura with love from Robbie'. "You can't deny that is your handwriting."

He could not deny it. Robbie was speechless. He had no clue how those gifts or his hand handwriting got there.

Osborn the dog retreated to his bed and covered his ears with his paws. He did not like it when his favourite couple argued. Daphne sensed her friend's distress and went to lie down next to him, being uncharacteristically still and quiet.

* * *

Chief Superintendent Emery 'Merry' Worthy was spending her Christmas holidays with Donald, the canine neighbor of Robbie and Laura. Donald's human housemates were off on a Christmas cruise and Donald preferred dry land to the high seas. Besides, he had met Merry last summer and took an instant liking to her so he was happy to have her stay with him for a week.

Early on Christmas morning Merry and Donald were out for a walk. The day was unusually warm for December. As they passed Robbie and Laura's house they heard a major row going on between them. "Come along Donald we do not want to listen to unpleasantness on Christmas morning."

* * *

Still fuming, Laura put her hand on her hip. "If running around buying gifts when I asked you not to makes you happy…" She stomped off without saying more and took refuge in her small home office.

Robbie was as unhappy as Laura. Who could have interfered in their planned 'no gifts' Christmas? He retreated to the garage that housed Morse's jag and decided who to blame.

"James!" Robbie yelled into the phone.

"Happy Christmas to you too, Robert" James answered in a sleepy voice.

Robbie accused James of overstepping and arranging gifts for Laura under their tree.

"I wasn't your Secret Santa, being too busy raising money for the kids at the orphanage I helped fix up a few years ago. They haven't had a happy Christmas for ages." And it sounded like Robbie and Laura were not having one either. "I will be over with your dinner as planned. You can eat yours in the canoe." James ended the call and went back to sleep.

Robbie was stewing, not sure who he was supposed to be mad at. Every time he and Laura got closer another misunderstanding arose between them. Would he spend the rest of his life making it up to her? Laura was not the only woman in his life who he often had to make things up to.

He pulled something out of his pocket. It was a letter from Val. He found it at the bottom of her box and it was the one thing he saved out at the last minute. He had never noticed it before, not being able to get to the bottom of the box until recently. After he sent the box to Lyn he planned to read it but couldn't help feeling he was betraying Laura. Then he remembered the time he and Laura came to an agreement about their past relationships, his with Val, and hers with more than one former boyfriend. Ordinarily Laura would not have minded him reading Val's letter. Today however she was a bit put out about the gifts, which were not his fault. He opened the letter.

And there it was, the secret kept by three people, two of them now dead. Val had been angry with Robbie for working late night after night doing Morse's bidding, while Morse himself was home listening to his opera records. One night Robbie promised to be home and she spent the afternoon preparing a special dinner. He was late, and then had a female DC call to say he wouldn't be home until the wee hours. Val was both angry and disappointed. She drank the wine she planned to have with Robbie over their lovely dinner. She let the food get cold as she drank a second bottle of wine. Emboldened she took a taxi to Morse's home and told him she often felt Robbie was unfaithful to her with his devotion to him and the job. To get back at Robbie she told Morse she wanted to have sex with him and have the satisfaction of being unfaithful back.

Morse wisely knew this was not the real Mrs. Valerie Lewis, she was drunk, an unusual state for her. He called Dr Hobson to come and rescue her. After a chat with Dr Hobson, during which Val cried and said she loved Robbie and would never have wanted to betray him, Val let Laura take her home. Val intended to tell Robbie everything. Laura cautioned her to sleep on it, then write him a letter but not send it, wait at least 30 days, and then if she still felt she had to tell Robbie, give him the letter. If not, destroy the letter. Val did neither, just put the letter away in her box, perhaps to remind herself that she was no saint. Val emphasized how kind Dr Hobson was to her, assuring her that neither she nor Morse would ever tell a soul.

Robbie was stunned. After Val died Robbie did elevate her to sainthood, not that he believed in saints. Deep down, he knew the truth, Val was human and fallible (as was he) and he had loved her, always would. He could still do that and move on, couldn't he?

But Laura, how could she not tell him? Robbie knew about the book written by former DI Mark Johnson and of Laura's appearance in the first chapter. While in the bookshop waiting to get Lyn's book signed, he overheard a clerk discussing the book with a uniformed police officer. He hadn't told Laura because he did not believe it or at least did not want to. He had to admit while he had come to terms with Laura's former boyfriends, if Morse had really been one of them, he might not be man enough to accept it. He hoped he was wrong.

* * *

Bradley Hobson called his sister from New Zealand. "I know you said no gifts for the grownups this year but I got you something." Just as Laura was preparing to berate another male in her life who did not take her at her word Brad rushed in with an explanation. Through Carole's colleagues in the publishing world, Brad had learned about the salacious book disgraced former DI Mark Johnson had self published about police gossip. Knowing who was in the first chapter Brad bought every copy printed so far, all 500 of them, before they even made it to the only Oxford bookshop that agreed to sell it. Carole had worked to squash any further copies or internet sales with threats of a lawsuit for slander.

Laura had to admit she was not happy about the book coming out even though it was not true. Thank-you Brad." She was truly grateful. Then she joked, " I don't actually have to take possession of the 500 copies do I?"

"What, oh well I gotta run, Flavia is calling for her granddad, call you later."

Laura was still cooling her heels in her office when Lyn called back as promised. After Jack and Susan thanked her for their gifts, Lyn told Laura her father had sent her Val's box." Laura knew what Lyn meant and she did not need to explain further. "He really has completely moved on Laura and he loves you very much."

* * *

The Lewis Hobson doorbell rang. Laura left the sanctuary of her office the same time as Robbie exited the garage. They bumped into each other at the front door and opened it together. Merry and Donald stood on the front step with gifts in hand.

Merry apologized for interrupting their Christmas and said they would only stay long enough to deliver Donald's gifts to Osborn and Daphne. She handed Osborn's gift to Robbie and Daphne's to Laura. Merry raised her eyebrows after she investigated Robbie's tie.

Robbie and Laura exchanged a look. They both had the same reaction, Osborn and Donald never exchanged gifts before and Daphne was new to the family.

Laura was embarrassed, 'I'm sorry Donald, Osborn and Daphne did not get you anything."

Merry quickly sorted this out. Donald is a devotee of Francis Assisi and believes it is in giving that we receive. No gift is necessary, all he expects is for your household to have a lovely Christmas." She peered into the house and saw the dog and cat still pretending to sleep in order to stay out of the line of fire. "We won't stay; Osborn and Daphne look like they are exhausted from all the festivities."

Donald would have liked to visit with his friends but was much too polite to disturb them while they were resting. He and Merry turned and left to go home and prepare their Christmas lunch after which they would attend a Christmas service at a church with a brilliant organist.

Robbie and Laura closed the door and looked down at the gifts they held with tags reading 'to' Osborn and Daphne 'from' Donald.

"THE HANDWRITING!" they cried in unison. The writing on the tags matched the writing on the tags for the pile of gifts for Laura.

"Sorry Robbie."

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have told anyone about our Christmas plans."

"Why would Merry…" Laura waved her arms in the direction of the pile of gifts.

"Some mysteries remain unsolved."

As they stood in the doorway making up they did not notice James arriving with a large takeaway bag from his favorite Indian restaurant.

Behind James a delivery truck pulled up in front. Three men got out and brought several trolley loads of books, 500 to be exact, to the front door.

James surveyed the books, "Any hope this is the world's greatest collection of books by Patrick O'Brian?"

"No hope at all James, they are my Christmas present from my brother Brad."

After greetings and explanations of the days' chaos, the three friends enjoyed their meal together. James avoided looking at Robbie's tie all throughout the meal as he blushed each time he laid eyes on it. Then the three of them found places to store the 500 books until Laura could decide what to do with them. James left soon after to join his sister Nell in volunteering at the care home where his father had lived.

Laura had decided to donate all the gifts that arrived mysteriously under their tree. She couldn't help but unwrap them a bit to take a peek at them. There were some lovely things including a handbag she had recently seen and admired in a shop window, a simple yet tasteful pair of earrings, and a hand knit cardigan with the most extraordinary blue buttons. She fixed up all the packages ready to go to a women's shelter with just a bit of regret about not keeping the cardigan. On second thought she would wear the cardigan a few times before donating it and take a photo of it. Someone merrily put a lot of work into making this for her.

While Laura was inspecting packages, Robbie went into the kitchen to make tea. As he waited for the water to boil he picked up the newspaper from the kitchen counter. It was folded the way Laura always left it for him after she had read it. It was turned to a page with a large advertisement from a jewelry store he recently visited after taking his present for Lyn to the Post Office. He was looking at rings, wanting to find the right one for Laura when the day came she would agree to marriage. Robbie was the marrying kind.

What Robbie did not know was that Laura would never see herself as his wife as long as he still had an attachment to Val. Not memories, those were fine but Laura did not feel she had all of Robbie while he could not completely let go of Val. Now the box has moved on Laura decided she could risk marriage if Robbie was still willing.

Robbie made plans to buy a ring to save for New Year's Day when he would bravely ask kind Laura to start another new chapter, this time in a new book all of their own.

**After some tea and Christmas cookies **

"Laura, we've been so busy today we never did what you wanted to do on Christmas, be thankful for non material gifts."

"There's no time like the present. You go first Robbie."

Robbie was hoping Laura would go first to make sure he got it right. He straightened up and looked deeply into Laura's eyes and cleared his throat.

"Laura, I want to thank-you for the gift of kindness. No one in my life has been kinder to me than you; even though there were many times I did not deserve it." There he said it, hopefully he got it right. Silently he added a 'thank-you' for being kind to Val.

She smiled. "You are very easy to be kind to Robbie." She gently touched his shoulder. "You're Welcome."

"Your turn."

Laura's eyes sparkled as she beamed a smile. "Robbie, I want to thank-you for your bravery."

He did not understand. "Because I'm a copper?"

She laughed. "No, your bravery to take a risk and start a new chapter with me, to live with me even though I am not always easy to live with." Laura added her silent 'thank-you' to Robbie for being brave enough to send Val's box to Lyn.

"Oh that."

She gently punched his arm. "You were even brave enough to go back to work without telling me."

"That wasn't brave, that was stupid."

The rest of the day they spent curled up on the sofa together watching "It's a Wonderful Life', Miracle on 34th Street, 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas', and finally 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'. Osborn and Daphne, wearing their matching Christmas outfits from Donald, nestled in with them, happy that things were cheery again.

When the films ended and they started to unravel themselves from the sofa, Robbie took Laura's hand to help her up. "There's something I want to ask you."

"Yes Robbie?"

Bravely he asked, 'would it be okay if I gave you a gift on New Year's Day?'

"It isn't a book, is it?"

"Certainly not."

Laura stroked his tie with her hand. "Well then, I would love to kindly accept a gift from you on New Year's Day Robbie."

And she did…

* * *

**A/N: Mr. Hobsonfan and I got the gift of a new grandson this year. While our granddaughter and other two grandsons are special this one gave me extra joy by having the same name as Robbie and Laura's grandson. Our Jack, now 6 months old, is a delight.**

**I wish all of you the gifts of peace, joy, bravery, and kindness in the New Year. ****Happy Trails! ****-H**


End file.
